House Republican leaders hope to pass a rule Monday to hold floor votes on a bill to limit the government’s ability to regulate gas stoves saw their efforts ignited after members of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC), who are among the most conservative lawmakers in Congress, joined Democrats in opposing the rule.
The final vote for the rule was 206-220. About a dozen Republicans opposed the rule — 11 of the members voting no were members or allies of the House Freedom Caucus. The 12th vote against the rule was cast by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who voted no in order to retain the option of putting it to a new vote later. All House Democrats voted against.
Several of the Tories said they voted against the rule because of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s handling of the debt ceiling and his breach of promises he made to them to win the presidency.
Representatives Dan Bishop, Republican of North Carolina, and Ken Buck, Republican of Colorado, are both unhappy that McCarthy broke what they say is his promise to keep discretionary spending at fiscal year 2022 levels, which the bill to raise the debt ceiling does not. TO DO. Instead, it holds non-defense spending at 2023 levels for 2024, allowing for increased funding for veterans and defense.
Rep. Chip Roy, Republican of Texas, said of the debt cap: “We got canceled. It was a bad deal. And it was a bad deal that got cut when it wouldn’t have We warned them not to cut this deal without coming to sit down and talk to us. So this is about restoring a process that will fundamentally change things back to what was working.
Bishop told reporters that HFC members have not decided whether this is a one-time protest vote or whether they will continue to oppose Republican leadership in rule votes.
“There is no decision on a motion to vacate the chair. There is no decision on votes on the rules,” he said. “But the issue that was entirely precipitated by the president’s approach to the debt ceiling package is going to have to be addressed.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, told CBS News, “We’re not going to live in the age of the imperial speaker anymore.”
Scalise could be seen speaking to HFC members in the chamber as the vote opened, and later Tuesday night several of the members who helped sink the bill met with House GOP leaders for about one hour. They later indicated that the talks would continue.
The house rules committee had met on Monday, ahead of a vote expected later this week on the ‘Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act,’ which would bar the federal government from banning the use of gas stoves. . The bill was expected to pass the House, despite assurances from federal regulators that they have no plans or plans to ban gas stoves.
Democrats have proposed a series of amendments, some of which poke fun at the legislation and House Republicans’ decision to prioritize the bill.
A pair of amendments originally drafted by Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, appeared to ridicule the legislation. One such amendment called for a “formal sense from Congress that gas stoves deserve consideration for an honorary statue in Statuary Hall” at the Capitol. Another of Moskowitz’s original amendments called for a “Czar’s post” in the Department of Energy called “Supreme Allied Gas Commander to oversee the use and sale of gas stoves.”
Moskowitz told CBS News, “Nobody wants to ban gas stoves. Neither does the Biden administration. It’s totally ridiculous.”
At Monday’s committee hearing, Rep. Tom Cole, a Republican from Oklahoma, said, “The White House wants to limit your ability to buy and use gas stoves.” Cole added, “Natural gas is used to heat just over half the homes in my state, and just over a third of Oklahoma residents use a gas stove to cook at home.”
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Department of Energy each deny any consideration of a ban on gas stoves.
Jackie Kalil and Nikole Killion contributed to this report.
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